My love for music started at an early age – memories of my dad taking me to record

shops. When I was just 4 years old, he would regularly buy records as he and my uncle

used to play at house parties. The music I was exposed to at that time was Ska, Rock-

steady, American R&B and early reggae music. I also listened to a lot of pop music which

in later years gave me good experience. With regular visits to the record shops with my

father, my love for the music grew to a greater level. I would be next to him when he

played out, as in Christmas ’74 when he allowed me to play some records at our party -

you could say that that was my introduction as a selector! I took my first trip to JA

that Christmas which was a turning point in my young life – I saw my first sound system

and heard a DJ live – I didn’t realize one person could own so many records!

I started buying the odd records here and there – I’m not too sure which record was my

first but I know it was a DJ tune – I-Roy or Prince Jazzbo.

     Over the years I started to gather a lot of music through family and friends as well as having records sent from Jamaica - it was like having exclusive tunes cos records released in Jamaica didn’t always get released in England straight away and some never got released outside Jamaica.

     At the ages of between 11 – 15 I was lucky enough to have my cousins boyfriend staying with our family home – he was from Wolverhampton & was like my elder brother.

He would take me to dances to listen to the sound systems. I was fortunate enough to

listen to Sir Coxsone, Fatman, King Tubby’s and lots more – thinking back now I was very

lucky to hear these sounds play & even though I didn’t know it at the time – it was very

good experience. All I wanted was to have my own sound system, my own dubplates and

entertain people the ways these soundmen did.

     By the time I left school I was involved with sound systems – but I would move with

different ones learning, observing, picking up ideas and learning the business which is

very important. If you want to run a sound it takes a lot of hard work, money and a lot

of commitment and a good team. Being a lover of DJ music I started copying DJ’s (in my

own environment) getting the feel of controlling a mic. I would pretend to be in a dance

Djing to the crowd – I started to write my own lyrics, practicing & creating my own style.

I don’t have a favourite DJ – there are plenty but you can be as good as you want to be.

The Saxon DJ’s for one did a lot for British Dancehall music – they worked hard to

perfect their trade. So I wanted to do the same – I remember days & nights in my

bedroom practicing non-stop. It was like writing songs, everyday something different -

 

     I would talk about things that would happen in your life – reality. I would use these and

make it funny or serious. After overcoming my nerves of DJing outside my bedroom in

front of people I soon learnt to hide my mistakes until I eliminated them. A few years

later I was asked to DJ for a sound system called Creation so for the next 3-4 years I

traveled with the sound doing a lot of dances, blues, parties, weddings & boat dances.

We used to play against other sounds regularly. The sound was a big sound in size more

than the name but the sound was pretty much probably the best presented sound in

London in the eighties. I have never seen a sound like it since but it didn’t always play

the way it looked but when it played right it was a joy and we did have some good times.

I enjoyed my time with Creation and about 88-89 I decided to stop DJing I now wanted

my own sound and get more technical experience. Me and a friend started to put

together what we could and build a little set we called the sound Young Ravers (later to

become Ravers Sound) – party & blues were where we were & I would select & wire up –

nothing too complicated but enough to know that it wouldn’t breakdown!!

     As the sound became known around the area we played we started to play further out sometimes out of London. When the sound got bigger we managed to get a spot on one of the local radio stations - Peoples FM – that gave the sound more exposure. We used to do the breakfast show which became very popular, me & Young Lover went on to meet a lot of

artists, producers and distributors which enabled us to get records before they would

be available in the shops, eventually we would get certain tunes as exclusives.

About a year after being on the radio things became to get hot, the DTI was on the case

and after being in court once too often I decided to call it a day as a radio presenter. I

felt now that the sound had to step up to another level and I was willing to invest but

unfortunately others were not so keen. I wanted to move on as sound system & dances were changing, technology was improving – it was now or never for Ravers Sound. Then

one night while loading up the van a record box got left on the pavement – my mind was

definitely made up as we played one more dance in Stonebridge 1991 – and that was the

last time Ravers Sound played out.

     From 1991-1993 I totally gave up on sound business. People around me had other ideas

and music was changing dramatically. Roots music was having a difficult time – plenty of

sounds were changing over to the gun & slackness culture – it was taking over and spilling

onto everyday life – sending out the wrong messages – it was no longer entertainment. It

was now that reality roots music couldn’t get a look in – mind it was a time of transition

for me. I stopped going out to dances (apart from the odd roots or revival dance –

which were become popular). I listened to Manasseh on Kiss FM and this provided me

with the entertainment and kept me up to date with the roots music – the only presenter

that would play strictly roots music for 3 hours straight!

 

     I would also sped a lot of time collecting revives that had escaped me over the years – it

was also a good investment and would give me a lot of satisfaction. It was better than

what I was hearing on the street and I spent a lot of time with Andrew Neale. I formed

a good friendship with Andrew, I would go to his house, bring back boxes of records and

clean them up and sell them at record fairs. Eventually I would sell them from home to

other sellers and collectors until I didn’t do record fairs anymore.

     I was being drawn closer to my faith – the readings and reasoning’s were building my

curiosity. From a young age I had been intrigued about RASTAFARI. My parents didn’t

want to know about these things but they would listen to the music and didn’t know that

it was Rasta that influences it. But I knew my calling – it was all down to when and

finding a place of worship was difficult. Social gatherings were not enough I would ask

questions and talk to elders who I thought may be able to guide – but this wasn’t enough.

I kept searching and couldn’t understand why things were being difficult until Jah send

Habtae Selassie aka Eden who is a member of the T.A.B.O.T. (The Anointed Body of

Testimony). He gave me the invitation to come to the church. From the first time I

went I knew that this was what I was looking for - the teachings that I was receiving

was different to anything I had heard or received before and it blew away any doubts

that I may have had. After settling within the TABOT I became very close friends with

Ras Kinfe. We would spend a lot of time together talking about music & sound systems.

It wasn’t long before we realized that we both had the love for the music and the same

desire for sound system. He had come down to London from Wolverhampton and had

been involved with Sound systems for many years. Now the two of us decided to bring

back the TABOT Sound and the sound had to be built on the foundation and the teaching

of TABOT. Also if we were to move forward with the project we would do it to be

NUMBER ONE. After taking my baptism name of Ras Gabre Egzebehier (Meaning

Servant of the Lord) in 1996 – I was spiritually born again.

     For the next few years we would buy & sell equipment, buy a lot of music, meeting a lot

of people and putting the jigsaw together with the help of Jah improving the sound until

we got what we wanted all the time playing out and getting the name of TABOT out

there. We met up with good bredren Muffit – who had been the owner & selector for

the original Jah Marcus Sound and who also used to be a member of the Jah Shaka

Sound System for a time. Muffit & Kinfe have been good friends since the early days

but now Muffit was building tunes with much success. After this union it was full steam

ahead for the TABOT Sound. During the year 2000 we flew out to Fort Lauderdale,

Miami armed with rhythm tracks to voice.

 

     We spent time with Gery Wong of Studio 54 who used to be an engineer at Channel One.

While we were there we voiced artists like Sugar Minott, Glen Washington, the

legendary Melodions from Treasure Isle and Mikel Rose who was very excited to voice

over his classic tune from Tubby’s – Born Free. Taking samples from the original 45 &

building a complete rhythm – this tune became very popular on the sound. Other artists

like Horace Andy, Frankie Paul, Errol Dunkley & Michael Russell followed. Over the next

three years until now we have big strides, we went on a radio station in Luton – Peoples

FM and although it was short term but it was good experience to get the sound of the

TABOT heard.

     But more importantly we have worked with Muffit in the studio building & voicing tunes

with artists that joined us such as Roy Shirley, Rick Wayne, Sandeeno, Sons of David,

Princess Black (Finote), Sister Eherta & Zufana. Many artists have passed through some

known and some unknown but the message remains the same. At the set up of Roots

Studio by Kat & Sofia at the Strongroom Bar – TABOT played there establishing the

TABOT at the Strongroom & later on the Troy Bar – both in the heart of the city of

London.

     We have given ourselves a good name on the roots circuit. It has been a hard 5 years

work to build the sound and things have been tough at times, but knowing that we have

the victory Jah has given us a work to do and had provided us with things for His sound.

When we feel we have nowhere to turn He just blesses us with things that the flesh

cannot comprehend.

     So we know TABOT Sound is a very special sound. So Ras Gabre, Ras Kinfe & Ras

Muffet will never give up the fight, for the three of us its not about money but bringing

in the people to TABOT and personally establishing TABOT sound as the number one

Roots Sound.

 

Jah Love and Guidance to one and all.

Thanks for all the support.

Ras Gabre - TABOT